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MINI Films 'The Britalian Job' For The London Olympics: Video

The 1969 film The Italian Job features one of the best chase scenes of all times, as three MINI Cooper S models run from the police through the streets and storm drains of Turin, Italy.

In homage to the 1969 film, and to honor British athletes participating in the London Olympic Games (several of whom have cameo appearances), MINI has released a video it’s calling The Britalian Job.

The short film, directed by Top Gear’s lead director, Phil Churchward, is heavy on both London landmarks and nods to the original film. Park Lane Motors, where the MINI Coopers are dispatched from in this remake, also played a role in the original film.

Living on this side of the pond, we can’t name all the British athletes and coaches who feature in The Britalian Job. The dispatcher, though is none other than Daley Thompson, a British decathlete who won Olympic gold medals in 1980 and 1984, and broke the decathlon world record four times.

By accident or by design, the villain on the motorcycle is played by Jodie Kidd, and while she’s not an Olympian, the fashion model-turned actress is a fan of all things fast. One of the quickest celebrities around the Top Gear test track, Kidd has also participated in numerous Gumball 3000 rallies.